Veggie Fried Rice

A great way to sneak in some veggies, for myself and my kids, is this simple veggie fried rice recipe. I use the classic carrots and peas combo. Yet, later on, I have some suggestions for some fun alternatives.

This recipe takes about 20 minutes and is a great weeknight meal. It’s especially convenient if you already have leftover rice in your fridge. 

Ingredients

• 4 cups leftover cooked jasmine rice
• 2 carrots
• ½ cup frozen peas
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2-3 green onions

Tips for the Best Fried Rice

Since the rice is the base and star of this dish, you’ll want to be particular about the kind of rice you use. You also need to think about when you cook it.

Long-grain white rice or jasmine rice work best for this dish because they are less starchy and sticky, and you’ll get a tasty fried rice texture. For even better results, use day-old rice that has been in the refrigerator. 

Using a shorter grain rice like carnaroli or arborio, the kinds you’d use in risotto, will result in a sticker texture that isn’t quite what you’re looking for in fried rice. 

When I want to make fried rice, I cook my rice in a rice cooker and then let it cool and store it in an air-tight glass container until the next day. 

Veggie Fried Rice Instructions

This is a classic and easy veggie fried rice. You’ll only use one pan and add things in stages for layered flavor and texture.

1. Cook the Rice In Advance

I mentioned that I cook my rice in a rice cooker, but you could also cook it on the stovetop. Both options require 2 cups long grain rice and 4 cups water. 

In the rice cooker, just set it to cook and start the next steps. 

If you’re cooking on the stove, you’ll bring the water to a boil and then add your rice. Reduce the temperature to a low simmer and cook, covered, for 15-20 minutes.  Make sure the rice has absorbed all the liquid.

2. Prepare the Vegetables and Sauce

Dice your carrots into ¼ inch cubes.Thaw the peas. Thinly slice the green onion and separate the whites from the greens. You’ll use the whites in the cooking process and then garnish with the green!

Peel and mince your garlic. I use a microplane grater for my garlic, making things quicker and easier (and less sticky).

In a small bowl, combine your oyster sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Set aside.

3. Cook the Veggies

Once your skillet or wok has heated up on a medium-high heat setting, add your butter, onion whites, and carrots and saute for 2 minutes.

Add your peas and garlic and cook for another minute. 

4. Scramble the Eggs

Crack 2 eggs into a bowl and whisk quickly. Pour them into the skillet along with your veggies and stir constantly until scrambled.

Keep the egg in larger pieces for the best texture throughout the fried rice.

5. Add the Rice

Add your leftover rice to the pan and stir to combine everything. Let the rice sit in the pan, untouched, for 3-4 minutes to get a slightly browned texture on some of the grains.

6. Pour in the Sauce

Add your soy sauce mixture and stir until everything is coated in the sauce. Give it a taste and add more soy sauce or salt to your taste.

Serve garnished with green onions.

Cookware Used

The tools I used for this one-pot veggie fried rice can be found in most home kitchens. 

12-Inch Skillet or Wok: I used a 12-inch (30cm) non-stick skillet for this recipe because it is the largest, widest pan I have. The non-stick coating also works great with scrambling the eggs. A seasoned carbon steel wok would be great if you have one and works well with this sort of dish. Even a standard carbon steel pan will help.

Rice Cooker: I love my rice cooker and use it every time I cook rice. My stovetop is just too unreliable sometimes, and I tend to end up with under- or over-cooked rice. My rice cooker always cooks it to perfection. Japanese Rice Cookers are amazing in terms of quality and functionality, but there are plenty of alternatives.

Microplane grater: I mentioned that I use this for my garlic. This is my favorite way to “chop” garlic because less of it sticks to my knife and fingers, and more of it ends up in my dish. 

Easy Veggie Fried Rice Variations

The recipe above is a classic fried rice with peas and carrots, but there are many other delicious options when making this dish. You’ll follow the same directions with only slight alterations that are noted below.

Extra Easy Fried Rice

The classic recipe is already speedy and simple, but to make it even easier; stock up on frozen veggies! You can find pre-cut carrot and pea combos in the freezer section of your grocery store to cut down on your prep time. 

Just thaw them out before adding them to your skillet and keep cook time the same. If I were using frozen veggies for this, I’d use about 1 and ½ cups of the frozen veggie mix.

Healthy Fried Rice

Boost the health factor in this recipe by adding even more veggies. Along with the peas and carrots, try adding some white mushrooms for protein and some roasted Brussels sprouts for added greens.

For even more of a healthy kick, swap to low sodium soy sauce, and instead of butter, use coconut oil. 

Vegan Fried Rice

To make the classic fried rice version vegan, just use coconut oil or vegetable oil instead of butter and omit the egg.

Try adding some extra-firm tofu or shiitake mushrooms sauteed in the same sauce mixture you use for the fried rice to amp up the flavor. Sautee these first and then set aside while you complete the fried rice recipe steps above.

Leftovers

Rice is a great combinator, meaning this dish works well with leftovers.

It’s also great for food that’s about to go out of date. Simply add any leftovers to the rice and continue from step 5.

Veggie Fried Rice Tips

• Instead of scrambling the egg throughout the fried rice, try an over-easy egg on top.
• Use the largest pan you have. Even if it’s not a wok, you’ll want space to move your ingredients around as you cook them in stages.
• Resist the urge to add a lot of sauce. The fried rice is better when it’s a little drier and less wet and mushy. If you need more flavor, use salt.
• You can freeze your fried rice once it’s been cooked! Just scoop your desired servings into a freezer-safe, zip-top bag and lay flat in your freezer. To reheat, defrost it and cook in a hot skillet with some oil for future dinners. 

Now It’s Your Turn

Whether you cook the veggie fried rice recipe with classic peas and carrots or get wild with one of the variations, I hope this is a quick and easy recipe for you to add to your collection.

Definitely keep this in mind the next time you’re making rice and have leftovers. Or just make some extra on purpose so you can whip this recipe up the next day!

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